Kym Teusner’s brilliant Teusner Joshua is a working example of just how far Australian vignerons have come with Grenache-based Southern Rhône blends. When such blends became à la mode in the 1990’s there was a tendency among some producers to throw too much new oak at them, often to the detriment of the wine.
Those familiar with the Southern Rhône will know that many of the region’s greatest producers apply a gentle touch when it comes to new oak, or eschew it altogether. It is only in some of the more flashy new wave ‘super-cuvées’ where we see the use of new oak exceeding 50%.
It is refreshing therefore, to see one of the Barossa’s young guns fashioning a brilliant GSM blend that has seen no wood whatsoever. Tank fermentation allows the high quality old vine fruit sourced by the team at Teusner to shine through, resulting in a wine that reflects the spicy nature of its component parts, and their warm Barossa Valley origin. Indeed, it’s fair to say that Joshua wouldn’t be out of place among a line-up of quality Southern Rhône wines.
Although delicious on release, it is a wine that will age, at least over the medium term. Tasted six years on from vintage, the 2005 Teusner Joshua was still primary fruit driven, yet to enter the realm of savoury secondary development.
2005 TEUSNER JOSHUA
Producer: Teusner
Variety: Grenache et al
Vintage: 2005
Region: Various regions, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Price: N/a
Closure: Cork
Format: 750ml
Date tasted: 5 October 2011
Tasting Note:
Bold spicy nose of star anise, black pepper, licorice and blackberries. Rich, full bodied, soft, smooth and voluptuous - sexy stuff indeed! Primary fruit up-front, but finishes savoury. An extremely satisfying drop, but dangerously moreish.
Score: 17.5/20
Those familiar with the Southern Rhône will know that many of the region’s greatest producers apply a gentle touch when it comes to new oak, or eschew it altogether. It is only in some of the more flashy new wave ‘super-cuvées’ where we see the use of new oak exceeding 50%.
It is refreshing therefore, to see one of the Barossa’s young guns fashioning a brilliant GSM blend that has seen no wood whatsoever. Tank fermentation allows the high quality old vine fruit sourced by the team at Teusner to shine through, resulting in a wine that reflects the spicy nature of its component parts, and their warm Barossa Valley origin. Indeed, it’s fair to say that Joshua wouldn’t be out of place among a line-up of quality Southern Rhône wines.
Although delicious on release, it is a wine that will age, at least over the medium term. Tasted six years on from vintage, the 2005 Teusner Joshua was still primary fruit driven, yet to enter the realm of savoury secondary development.
2005 TEUSNER JOSHUAProducer: Teusner
Variety: Grenache et al
Vintage: 2005
Region: Various regions, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Price: N/a
Closure: Cork
Format: 750ml
Date tasted: 5 October 2011
Tasting Note:
Bold spicy nose of star anise, black pepper, licorice and blackberries. Rich, full bodied, soft, smooth and voluptuous - sexy stuff indeed! Primary fruit up-front, but finishes savoury. An extremely satisfying drop, but dangerously moreish.
Score: 17.5/20
No comments:
Post a Comment